page_title: Peru, Illinois
section_title: Geography
hierarchical_section_title: Peru, Illinois / Geography
caption_attribution_description: English: George Kencke Blacksmith Shop on the bluffs of the Illinois River Valley in Peru Illinois. Below the bluff is the former Water Street commercial district and the smokestacks of the Illinois Valley Zinc Company in the distance.
context_page_description: Peru is a city in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. The population was 10,295 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Ottawa, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area. Peru and its twin city, LaSalle, make up the core of Illinois Valley.
context_section_description: According to the 2010 census, Peru has a total area of 9.068 square miles (23.49 km²), of which 8.96 square miles (23.21 km²) (or 98.81%) is land and 0.108 square miles (0.28 km²) (or 1.19%) is water.
  Located on the Illinois River, Peru lies 3 miles (4.8 km) west of the intersection of two major interstate highways: Interstate 39 and Interstate 80. The city is also the western terminus of the historic Illinois and Michigan Canal. Before the Illinois Waterway was constructed, the Illinois River was navigable only up to Peru. Starved Rock State Park, a regional tourist attraction, is located 5 miles (8.0 km) south-east of the community. Peru has a twin city on its eastern edge, LaSalle.
caption: Historical photo of the bluffs of the Illinois River Valley in Peru, Illinois.
exif: {}